Don't Forget Me
by windscryer
Summary: Naruku is defeated and the sacred Shikon Jewel restored, but Kagome returns to her own time without saying goodbye to Inuyasha in person. InuKag, mild MirSan--like blink and miss it mild.


AN:  You all know how this part goes.

This is my first Inuyasha fic and the first fic of any kind I've posted on ff.net.  I've been writing fanfic for about . . . wow.  Like six years already.  It seems so much shorter.  Hm.

*shakes head*

Anyway, I've allowed my sister to post one or two of my fics on her website and in her Yahoo group but I never really considered posting it anywhere else and doing so on my own mainly because I don't think my stuff is like New-York-Times-Best-Seller quality.  I mean, _I_ enjoy it, but I also like eating ketchup on mac and cheese at three o'clock in the morning, so my sense of taste and propriety is not to be confused with anything normal or sane.

Alas, I'm rambling (a really bad habit of mine.  Sorry.  I'll try to keep it to a minimum.).

Okay, I'll just finish this up then.

Read and review please and if you feel so inclined share it with someone else.

If you really find it so horrible that you feel you must flame me go ahead, but just know I'll treasure the fact that you took the time to tell me you thought I was an idiot and a moron.  I find it to be a compliment really.  I mean, I know _I_ don't go around wasting my time telling people their creations are crapola.  If they're that bad, it's not worth my time saying so. (Especially as long as it can take to posta review on ff.net! ;D)  There are so many other GOOD stories out there to read and life's too short to waste time on stupid people.

I'll put the soapbox away and let you get to the good part.

Reading the story!

Enjoy!

(Oh and even though she hates anime and will probably never read this I'm dedicating it to my sis AdmiralLily because she's the one that got me into this wild and wacky universe of fanfiction.  Keep on writing Lil!)

One last thing (I promise!).  Any mistakes or variations from canon are mine and mostly unintentional (I've only seen through the first season!  So sue me!).

Disclaimer: And to keep from going to jail:  Inuyasha doesn't belong to me.  (But I have it on good authority that baiting a trap with instant ramen might change that . . . heh heh heh . . . Here puppy!  :D)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Where's Kagome?"

"Ah.  So ye've returned, Inuyasha."

With a growl the half demon crossed the room and crouched directly in front of Kaede, one clawed hand raised in a ready position to strike.

"I'm warning you, old hag.  Don't play games with me.  Where is she?"

Kaede, used to Inuyasha's manners, didn't so much as flinch but continued to sip her tea.  It had been a long day and it was about to get longer.  She accepted that with an internal sigh.  It couldn't be changed.

"She is not here, Inuyasha."

"Well duh!" he spat.  "_That_ I knew.  So where _is_ she?"

The moment of silence stretched as long as Kaede thought she could safely stretch it.

"She went home."

Inuyasha blinked and then sat back on his heels.

"Oh.  Well if that's it why wouldn't you just tell me?" he snapped.

He stood and started to leave.

"Inuyasha."

Kaede's voice made him pause, his lip curling in annoyance.

"Now what?" he demanded, turning back.

"Kagome went home," she said with more force.

"Yeah, you said that already.  Geez.  Old age is really taking its toll isn't it?  You're going senile."

"Inuyasha," she said in a warning tone, "if ye would listen to me for just a moment-"

"What is it?" he demanded impatiently.  "So talk already."

She set her cup down and glared at him with her good eye.

"I cannot do so if ye continue to talk.  For once be silent and listen."

He folded his arms across his chest and muttered a "Feh!" but no more.

After a moment to make sure he would stay silent she spoke.

"The sacred Shikon Jewel has been restored.  Ye did well helping Kagome collect all of the shards.  She could not have accomplished her task without the assistance ye lent her."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"I _know_ all this, you old hag.  I was there when she finally put an arrow through old Naruku's heart, remember?  I saw her after she reunited her half of the jewel with the half Naruku had and I saw her use it later to put Kikyo to rest.  Then we all had a big group hug and Sango and Miroku went off wherever on Kirara's back and Shippou went . . . wherever and Kagome and I came back here.  This is all history.  You're repeating yourself again."

He turned to go throwing, "I don't have time for your senility," back over his shoulder.

She was undaunted though.  "Inuyasha, Kagome will not be returning."

That stopped him cold.

He whirled around after a moment, claws once more raised threateningly.

"Of course she's coming back!"

"Nay," Kaede said with a shake of her head.  "She is not.  I see your prayer beads are gone.  Why do ye think she removed them from your neck?"

That made him pause as he recalled the prior evening after she'd finally woken up.

_"Inuyasha?"___

_He looked down from his usual tree branch and saw her standing just below, looking up and waiting patiently for him to answer.  She seemed to be shaking, he thought, but decided it was just that she was still recovering from that last battle._

_She'd come awfully close to dying but her recovery was progressing, even if it wasn't fast enough for his taste._

_Concern for her prompted him to jump down and step close to her side, just in case she collapsed._

_"Kagome, you shouldn't be out of bed yet.  Kaede said-"_

_"I'll go back in a moment.  I just needed to talk to you."_

_He snorted.  "And you couldn't do that lying down?  Let's go back."_

_She stopped him with a small hand on his arm._

_He looked down at it in surprise and then up at her._

_Her eyes were puffy and red, shining with tears, and he could see the tracks that had already been traced down her cheeks._

_"You're not going to cry are you?" he demanded, trying to sound tough and disgusted by weakness.  It came out softer and more sincere than that though and a small smile played around her lips._

_"I'll try not to," she promised.  "And I'll go back in soon."  She took a deep breath.  "But I need to say this."_

_"Will you at least sit?"_

_She winced, pressing a hand to her stomach, and nodded._

_He sat first and then helped her ease down to a sitting position, but was once more surprised when she shifted slightly so that she ended up in his lap._

_He froze as she curled up against his chest, but then wrapped his arms around her and forced himself to relax._

_"Thank you."_

_"For what?"_

_She looked up at him.  "You saved my life.  After the battle.  I would have died if you hadn't brought me back here."_

_"So?" he said, trying to regain his former aloof coolness.  He wasn't comfortable with where this was going._

_She smiled again and he felt his resolve to keep his tough guy exterior melt as they locked gazes._

_They stared intently at each other for a few moments before she slowly started to inch closer._

_His heart threatened to pound its way through his ribs and out of his chest, but his only response was to lean forward as well and meet her halfway._

_As their lips pressed together, an electric shock raced over his skin and before he knew it, the kiss had deepened._

_Her hands slid up his arms to meet behind his neck and tangle in his hair as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer._

_The rest of the world had shrunk to just the two of them and he realized this at the same time that he decided that kissing Kagome was something he could definitely get used to._

_One of her hands slid down to his chest but he wasn't really focused on it until it jerked back, taking Kagome with it._

_He looked at her in confusion before she smiled and looked at her hand._

_He followed her gaze and it took a moment to register what he saw._

_Most of the beads had slipped off and landed in Kagome's lap, a few continuing on down towards the ground, but there were still a few gripped in her hand._

_They were no longer around his neck, though.  That was the thing he had trouble believing._

_"Kagome?" he started to ask, but she cut him off with another kiss._

_It was shorter but no less thrilling._

_When she pulled away this time she lowered her head to rest against his chest._

_"I've said what I needed to say.  Can we just sit here for a moment now?"_

_"Yeah.  Of course," he said.  He was slightly dazed, however, and she could have asked him if he wanted to walk over hot coals and he probably would have said the same thing._

_She just snuggled down and sighed in contentment as he wrapped his arms around her once more._

_By the time he'd recovered his wits enough to ask what was going on, she was asleep._

_He smiled and brushed a lock of dark hair out of her eyes._

_"Never mind," he said softly.  "I'll ask tomorrow, assuming this isn't all some dream."_

_He shifted her as gently as he could so as to not wake her, and then stood, cradling her in his arms._

_He returned her to her sleeping bag in the hut and then hopped up to the roof to think and wait for sunrise._

It was morning now, though, and she was gone.

He'd only left for two minutes to check out the faint smell of a yuokai on the wind and in that time she'd slipped away.

Which brought him back to the present and Kaede's question.

"I don't know why she pulled them off.  I was going to ask her but she's not here.  I guess I'll just have to go find her first."

"Ye cannot."

"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do, old woman," he snarled, his patience with her growing shorter by the moment.

"I am not telling ye anything but the truth.  Ye _cannot_ go ask her."

"And why not?"

Kaede picked up her tea and sipped at it.  She'd stalled as much as possible and couldn't resist waiting another few seconds.  They might be her last when he heard her answer.

Still she might be able to delay a bit longer . . .

"She has the sacred Shikon Jewel in her possession and intends to guard it most carefully.  But there are too many demons here in these times that are attracted to it.  She believes it will be safer in her time."

He huffed and turned once again.  "Not a problem.  I'll just go to her time then."

"I already told ye that wouldn't be possible," Kaede said before he could take another step.

With a heartfelt growl he turned back.  Again.

"And why is that?" he ground out between clenched teeth.  "I'm getting tired of these games.  Just say what it is you're trying to say already!"

Kaede set her empty cup down and looked at him.

"She has sealed the well."

He blinked once and then shook it off, regaining his haughty confidence as he crossed his arms over his chest.  "So I'll unseal it.  No big deal.  I did it before, I can do it again."

"Nay, Inuyasha.  Kagome wasn't the one who sealed it last time if ye remember.  It was her grandfather.  You and I both know Kagome's powers have grown considerably since ye first met.  And she holds the Shikon Jewel now, whole and complete.  I do not think even ye can unseal it this time."

He set his jaw and spun around.

"Well I'm not giving up that easily.  We'll see who has more power."

With that final oath he disappeared into the bright sunshine.

* ^o.o^ * ^o.o^ * ^o.o^ * ^o.o^ *

"No!"

He swore, pounding the dirt at the bottom of the well with his fist.

She'd done it.

She'd sealed it and no matter what he did he could not break it.

"NO!"

He pounded the dirt again, this time with both fists, but even as he did he knew it was useless.

"Why?" he demanded, sinking forward to kneel with his forehead pressed against the cool earth.  "Why did she . . . I thought . . ."

He growled and pushed himself up, rocking back to lean against the wall of the well.

"Feh.  Just goes to show I was right in the first place.  You can't trust humans."

He crossed his arms over his chest and dropped his head down, feeling the anger and pain swirl inside him.

_I thought we had something special,_ he thought.  _I thought she felt something for me, all those times I caught her looking at me . . .  At first she was just curious, I could tell.  But over time . . .  And the kiss yesterday . . . Did I imagine it?  Was that just a dream?_

But the rosary he'd almost gotten used to having on was gone.

_No, I definitely didn't dream that._

_But then what happened?_

"Who am I kidding?" he said suddenly, sarcastically.  "She just thought I was a good guard dog.  She just came back 'cuz she felt guilty for all the problems caused by her breaking the jewel.  And she couldn't defend herself at first, weak little human that she was.  And even after she _did_ learn how to use her bow and arrow it was just easier to let me fight her battles for her.  That's all I was.  A guard dog."

His words rang weak even in his own ears.

With a sigh he repeated his earlier question, but with a new sincerity.

"Who _am_ I kidding?  At first it was just because she looked so much like Kikyo, but eventually . . . I fell in love with her.  Not the jewel.  Not the way she reminded me of Kikyo.  I fell in love with her.  And now she's gone."

Tears welled up and he gasped as the pain struck even harder than before.  Saying it out loud lent it so much more truth.

He shook his head to get rid of the tears and the pain.

"Well _she'll_ see.  She can't get rid of me that easily.  I gave up on Kikyo because she died.  I won't give up on Kagome.  Not when she's still alive."

He stood and jumped out of the well.

"And who says it's safer in her own time?" he demanded.  "Feh!  I bet there are a ton of demons just waiting to try and get the jewel now that it's whole again.  Oh yeah.  She still needs me."

_And I need her._

With his determination firmly settled, he started back towards the village.

He had some things to do.

* ^o.o^ * ^o.o^ * ^o.o^ * ^o.o^ *

Kaede didn't bother going to bed.

She knew he'd be back and didn't feel like being roused from a peaceful slumber by his annoying yapping.

She just hoped he'd hurry.  Though she was loath to admit it, the years were catching up to her.  She wasn't the young girl she'd once been.

She needed her sleep or she'd be cranky and she hated being cranky.

"Did she leave anything here?" he demanded without preamble, flipping aside the door hanging and stomping inside.

"Inuyasha, this is my house and whether or not ye like it, ye will show civility here."

Since a lack of sleep made her cranky and Inuyasha was the cause of her lack of sleep, Kaede decided that he could be the one who deal with her crankiness.

It was only fair.

"What'll you do if I don't?" he asked with a typical reckless grin.

"I'll not give ye what ye ask for."

That wiped the grin from his face in a heartbeat and he muttered something under his breath before folding his arms over his chest.

"Fine.  I'll play nice.  Now may I please have it?"

Kaede didn't move for a moment, staring him down.

"What're you looking at?" he growled.  "I said 'please' didn't I?"

"Learning a little patience wouldn't go amiss with ye, Inuyasha."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever.  Can I have it now?"

She'd started reaching into her sleeve but stopped, narrowing her eye at him.

With a dramatic sigh, he dropped his arms to his sides, hands curled into fists.

"I'm sorry, okay?  You can't expect me to learn patience in five minutes."

She didn't budge so he played his final card.

"If you want me to leave, you'll have to give it to me."

At last she drew her hand out, a small envelope in it.

"It is only your promised absence that compels me to give ye this.  That and I know ye would be an unending nuisance until I did so."

She held it out and he snatched it from her hand, looking it over eagerly.

"Have ye something to say?"

"Why didn't you give it to me before?"

"Kagome told me not to give it to ye unless ye asked.  Was there anything _else_ ye had to say?"

He looked up with his trademark feral grin showing his fangs.

"G'bye!"

With that he ducked out into the night and was gone.

She sighed and shook her head.

"I brought that upon myself I know.  But perhaps, if I'm lucky, he won't be back."

She grunted as she moved to put out the lights.

"Then again, if I were lucky, he'd never have come in the first place.  Ah well.  It's Kagome he loves and not me.  Perhaps he'll be so busy chasing after her that he won't have time to come back here.  Yes, I'll rely on that hope," she said as she blew out the last candle.

* ^o.o^ * ^o.o^ * ^o.o^ * ^o.o^ *

Perched in the same tree where he'd spent so many nights before, he opened the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper.

_Dear Inuyasha,_

_If you're reading this then I guess you know I'm gone and you talked to Kaede.  I'll assume she told you what happened and why I went back and sealed the well behind me._

_I don't expect this to make a lot of sense to you, especially after that kiss we shared, but I feel I owe it to you to at least try to explain._

_First, let me say that I am grateful for all your help.  I couldn't have done it without you and I would have died so many times if it weren't for you.  So, for that, thanks._

_Second, I had a lot of fun (when something wasn't trying to kill us anyway!).  I'm glad that I got to know everyone there._

_Now comes the hard part._

_I'm especially glad I got to know you, Inuyasha.  You were more than just a good friend to me.  You were my knight in shining . . . um . . . well anyway, you were my hero.  And like every good damsel in distress, I fell in love with my hero._

_But this isn't a fairy tale.  Things don't always work out to a 'happily ever after' in real life._

_Like I said, I don't expect you to understand, but then I don't think I really do either._

_I just wanted you to know that you were more than just a friend._

_That said, I need to fight this dragon on my own, my noble knight._

_The Shikon Jewel has already brought so much tragedy into your life.  I don't want it to be the cause of any more._

_This is my curse and my responsibility and I will bear it alone._

_I heard you say something last week while I was recovering form my injuries._

_You thought I was unconscious, I guess, but I was awake enough to hear you when you said you had made your peace with Kikyo and that you loved me._

_That you'd never forget me._

_Then you threatened to kill me if I died on you._

He blushed at the memory.  She'd been awake?  Why hadn't she said something?!

He shook his head and returned to reading the letter.

_It was so sweet and I wanted to say something, but I fell asleep again and before I got a chance and you were gone when I woke up next._

Oh. Okay.

_Then it just never seemed like the right time and other things came up and . . . anyway, the reason I mentioned it is because I wanted to remind you of your promise._

_Don't forget me, Inuyasha._

_I won't ever forget you._

He suddenly noticed the paper was wrinkled in spots like it had been wet and dried again and her handwriting became messier at this point, blurring at the wrinkled spots.

A fist seized his heart and squeezed when he realized she'd been crying as she wrote this part.

He shook away his own tears and forced himself to keep reading.

_And who knows?  Maybe we'll meet again someday._

_Just in case we don't though . . . I love you, Inuyasha._

_I always will._

_Yours forever,_

_Kagome_

He carefully refolded the letter and slipped it back into the envelope.

Tucking it securely in his shirt he jumped down from the tree and faced the direction of the well.

_I won't forget you,_ he vowed silently.  _And we will meet again.  You have my word._

He turned suddenly and vanished into the shadows of the forest without a trace.

            ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yay!  It's done!  So who liked it?  Who hated it?  Who wants me to send my friend's doberman/rottweiler mix after them?  ( I mean, uh . . . feel free to express you honest opinion or whatever . . . .  yeah . . .)

I'm considering a prequel or sequel or maybe both or something like that.

I don't know.

Anyone else interested?

Let me know and we'll see how it goes!

Maja


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